Perhaps I'll Die Tomorrow
by Venice.Luna.Blanche
Summary: A hostage situation in Georgia forces Reid to sacrifice everything to save the ones he loves. In the process, long kept secrets are revealed. Nothing is ever going to be the same. SLASH Reid/OC. Features confident Reid.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds. I'm just a loyal fan.

A/N: A little mix of everything. Slightly based off of Minimal Loss. Contains a more confident Dr. Reid! My first attempt at slash, so please be very nice to me and if you don't like it, don't read it. Reid/OC.

*****

The cool Georgia wind whipped at the exposed faces of the officers a slight rain fell like sheets of ice to the slick streets below. The weather was unusual, especially for Georgia and especially considering it was mid- spring already. It rained, sure, but hardly ever like this.

Detective Hoban of the Atlanta inner city Police Department scowled at the weather under his thick gray moustache. Just what they needed, to be stuck out here all night in the freezing rain trying to wait out a suspect who was better equipped, and warmer, than they were.

Lieutenant Greene, a happy man in his late thirties was unusually melancholy. His boyish face depicted concern for the senior detective as well as the rapidly deteriorating situation. It had only been two hours and already the suspect had killed a hostage and had made a list of demands longer than Detective Hoban's arm.

"Greene, get me Aaron Hotchner at the Behavoral Analysis Unit in Quantico. Now."

*****

Spencer Reid was still smiling when the elevator doors opened to reveal the bullpen and familiar faces of his office. He was distracted, as anyone who knew him- especially the profiler- could tell. Spencer Reid's mind was still on the night before. He gave a quiet chuckle as he though about it- the dinner, the surprise, the excellent twenty- seventh birthday party. The after dinner surprise was even better. He shuddered just thinking about those hands-.

"Looking good, man. Why so happy this morning?" Agent Derek Morgan broke the unsuspecting doctor of his quiet reverie. "This wouldn't happen to be about a lady friend, now would it?"

"Hardly." Reid retorted, chucking.

*****

Jennifer Jareau, JJ to her colleagues and friends, surveyed the bullpen from her office as she reviewed case files. Emily sat at her desk, chatting animatedly to Garcia, who vacated her "Lair or Wonder" to be with real people for a change. Morgan, smiling as always, was teasing a chucking Reid.

JJ smiled as she thought about the youngest member of the team. Reid had always been awkward, and introverted, and not great about social interaction. Lately, however, she had begun to notice drastic changes in her friend. It began about seven months ago. He started to become more confident with conflict and with dealing with social groups. Even still stranger was that he began to dress and act a lot less like a student teacher and a lot more like an FBI agent. He forewent his old revolver and picked up a glossy black nine- mil. He even began to dress a little more impeccably, and the result was that he looked cute, smart, and even slightly intimidating at the same time.

Today he wore a red button down shirt and a black tie over a pair of dark, slightly tight jeans that could pass for slacks and a pair of ever-present black converse. When asked about this, the young man merely replied that they were unbelievably comfortable and that he thought he would probably even wear them to his wedding. His light brown hair fell with deliberate messiness and was ticked behind his ears.

These severe changes were a cause of gossip, especially between JJ and Garcia. Both had noticed Reid's rapidly toning physique, and both agreed with Morgan that a female presence in his life had caused such measure to be taken.

When they confronted Reid about this idea, he laughed in a very un-Reid- ish way and winked at them whilst assuring them that no female had caused such changes.

They let it drop. For now.

The phone rang, shaking JJ from her musings. "This is Jennifer Jareau," she answered professionally.

The nature of the call was not a happy one, and the result of it would be getting thrust head first into a storm that would shake them to their very foundation.

*****

_The plane. Thirty minutes later._

"Okay," JJ began, "Sorry to brief you on the plane but the nature of the situation calls for all haste. Last night an anarchist sect in Atlanta took an office building hostage. The group is known as the Red Hand, and their leader is a man who identified himself simply as the bringer." She pointed to a picture on the screen of a tall, smirking man. He had no hair, a multitude of tattoos, and yet he possessed a strangely intelligent look in his eye.

"Garcia looked him up. His real name is Thomas Fallon. He's was a professor of radical political science at the University of Georgia until 2007 when he went haywire and started preaching about lack of government efficiency and the revolution of libertarianism. They fired him and he started the anarchist cell the Red Hands. They were quiet until a few months ago."

Rossi looked up from the case file. "I know that case." The Reds started killing off Georgia Senators and leaving a bloody handprint as a calling card."

"What happened at the office building?" Reid asked.

"Well," it was JJ who answered, "Fallon and six of his followers captured an office building ranch on the outskirts of northern Atlanta. There's nothing else around so there's no danger of crossfire hitting a passerby, but they did take approximately twenty five people hostage."

Emily looked up. "What's the significance of the office buildings?"

"It says here that it's the office building of Georgian Senator Remington Dawes. It's confirmed that Dawes is inside. We think Fallon is there for Dawes but he won't let any of the other hostages go."

"Okay." Hotch spoke quickly and without hesitation. "We're meeting up with the lead Detective on the case at the office. They've been stationed there for just over four hours but they haven't made any headway."

"Rossi, your on negotiations. JJ, stay in contact with Garcia and get all information. We're going to set up a felid office around the corner and close the offices in."

"Hotch, what are the offices? What's the business?" Reid asked.

"It's a private sector building called Smith Security Group. It's a private security business that deals with high ranking officials and expensive clientele. Its where Senator Dawes set up his campaign for the promotion of private security in Washington to reduce corruption."

"So maybe the building is the target and not the Senator. Anarchists, especially a narcissistic one like Fallon, won't like people making a profit protecting the government they want to annihilate." Emily mused.

"So how did ten radical anarchists take a building full of private security officials?" Morgan asked.

"Almost all dangerous agents are in Washington full time because of the capital. They have mostly government officials, office workers, and company CEOs."

"Reid? Reid!"

No one noticed that Reid had frozen when Hotch mentioned SSG. _Breathe. _He told himself._ You don't know anything. It's a coincidence. You were home thins morning. No one you love in going to die!_

_You don't know that,_ a small voice in his head said, like a whisper in the wind, just loud enough to send chills down him.

Reid looked up. His team was staring at him, concerned.

"Sorry," he told them, "I was just thinking."

"Are you going to be okay?" Hotch questioned. "I'm going to need you to get into Fallon's head. Can you do that?"

"I'm good Hotch." But his thoughts whispered _no your not. _

*****

Detective Hoban shook hands with everyone when they arrived. It was nine in the morning by now and the situation had not changed.

"Detective, these are SSA's Morgan, Prentiss, Rossi, Jareau, and Reid," motioning to each in turn. "We have to get started."

"Right." The detective said, his salt and pepper hair gleaming in the wane, post- rain sunlight of the morning. "Fallon, thanks for the name by the way, has everyone held up on the lobby. We estimate twenty or twenty five hostages. All are alive except for an unlucky PSA (Private Security Agent) who pulled his gun. We asked for name but no cigar."

Reid froze for the second time that day. No No NO! This could not be happening._ You don't know for sure…_

"Okay. Rossi, its your show."

Rossi was on the phone now. The answering voice was smooth and silky, and undeniably frightening.

_"Hello Agents. I take it you have my name by now, so this is Fallon speaking."_

"Hello Fallon, this is agent Rossi. Can you tell me what you want?"

_"I want to continue my righteous revolution. The government is useless. They insert themselves where they ought not be, and they sent their dogs to do their bidding. And now! Ha! Now they're paying huge sums to big companies to protect them. The little people hire their guard dogs and this company is going to make millions killing people your bosses think are an enemy of the state. So what do I want, Agent Rossi? I want every private security at this company arrested for unlawful deal making and I want the SSG building I'm in destroyed." _

"You're smart, Fallon, you know I can't do that."

Fallon sighed, and spoke as though to a child. _"Then I suppose you care not for the lives of twenty six private sector workers and the Senator. Oh well, they are useless to me. They are expendable. Are they expendable to you as well, Agent Rossi?" _

"That was a load of bull and we both know it, Fallon. Tell me what you really want." Reid spoke up, talking directly to the narcissistic unsub.

_"Ah, Agent Reid."_

"You know me?"

_"Someone in here told me you were going to kill me. Are you going to kill me Agent Reid?"_

Reid eyes went wide, and then fury was etched into his face. Cold fury, which took his team by surprise.

"Fallon, if you even twitch the wrong way and something happens I'll make sure you wish for death."

Fallon sighed again. _"So much anger, Agent Reid, perhaps you'd like to visit? Agent Rossi?"_

"I'm here."

_"I'll give you the body of the PSA and the senator if you give me the good Agent Reid."_

Before anyone could say a word, Reid said, "Deal, but you have to send _him_ out too."

_"No. But I will give you the secretaries. They are all quite beautiful, and I would hate to have to have to destroy that."_

"Fine."

_"Good. They'll be out shortly. No guns, no Kevlar, and if you're not at the door two minutes after they exit, he dies." _The line went dead.

*****

"Reid!" Morgan exclaimed, more pissed off than anyone had ever seen him, "What the _hell_ do you think your doing? This is not happening!"

"Morgan think!" Reid retorted, "I can get in his head and he's giving us the senator. That's who we're trying to protect here! I can work his profile and get as many people out as I can."

Hotch spoke up now. "Morgan he's right. Reid, do you have a second gun?"

"Yes, do you want me to bring it?"

"No. These guys are nothing if not meticulous. They'll find it. Okay, he's narcissistic and psychopathic, and he's a glory hound. This won't end peacefully- he's already planning to go out with a bang. Did he say you knew someone in there?"

"I don't know. But if it is who I think it is, then were in luck."

"This is a minimal loss situation Reid, and were not going to save everyone. His demands are just for show; all he really wants to do is make a point, and people are expendable to him. Some of them are going to die, you have to understand this. I'm going to give you some bugs- place them throughout the building."

"Got it!"

Detective Hogan came running back from around the corner, Kevlar on, and said, "They're coming out."

Reid hugged everyone good bye and turned the corner.

His team watched him round the bend and disappear out of sight.

*****

The hostages came out slowly, hands on their head, with Senator Dawes in front. He had a small cut on his forehead, but otherwise was unharmed. Following him were seven women- clearly the secretaries. They rounded the bend and where overwhelmed by law enforcement officers and EMTs.

Meanwhile, Reid walked slowly towards the door. Ten feet away, two armed guards walked out of the bushed and stood behind him. They both were heavily loaded with handguns and semi- automatic rifles.

They crossed into the dim building, and Reid surreptitiously placed a bug on the door.

He was shoved foreword silently, past the frightened and defiant faces of the hostages, to a door to the back. His brilliant mind counted nineteen people.

_That means-_

"Agent Reid!" Fallon stepped out of the office, "How nice of you to join us!"

"Where is he?" Reid all but growled back, cold fury rolling off of him in waves.

"In time, Doctor. For now, you're going to help me."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Sorry! There was a numbers discord. I'm going to say there are six bad guys plus Fallon. Thanks guys!

*****

"Like hell I am!"

Pain shot through Reid's stomach as the butt end of a gun slammed into his abdomen. He struggled to breathe as he fell to his knees.

"You're going to help me, or he will die."

"Fallon, you said there were twenty six hostages, plus the Senator. You sent out the Senator and seven women. That means that there are nineteen hostages, and that's how many I counted. So either you lied or-"

"Or he's not a hostage. You see, Dr. Reid, a hostage is someone with a chance of living. Your _friend_ has no such chance. He has gone and upset me and so have you. And the both of you are going to be a part my final show."

*****

"_You are both going to be a part of_ _my final show." _

The team watched the screen as Reid's bug depicted him sitting, doubled over, as Fallon calmly declared, in more or less words, that they were all going to die.

Morgan walked away, ready to hit anything. "Hotch!" He paced back, "We can't do this again. Reid can't do this again. Not after Henkel. Not again!"

"I know." But he knows what he's doing. He's aggravating him into making a mistake. Detective!" The older man turned, "Gather your men, and be ready. They are either going to send out hostages or bodies."

Greene looked up from the computer screen, "Sir! We have three more bugs up. We now have a full visual and audio system. Your agent is stroking Fallon's ego, trying to ensure him that releasing the hostages will put you into a false sense of security. It doesn't appear to be working."

"Keep working it Greene."

*****

They had moved him to sit by the other potential threats- the larger looking men. There were six of them and they were separated from the others by three of the armed minions.

Reid turned to the nearest man, who appeared to be a tough looking security guard, and said "is everyone here alright here sir?"

"Yeah, all except for that unlucky bastard they shot before you got here."

"Who was he?"

"A PSA named Mikey Clark. Poor guy left behind a wife and a baby."

"I'm so sorry. I'm Agent Reid, by the way, I'm with the FBI."

"Will Goodman. I work front desk security here."

They shook hands.

"Listen, William, can you tell me if there was another man here?" Reid asked with bated breath. "He would've mentioned me. He's about six foot two, with brown hair and blue eyes. He's scruffy, and he looks a bit like we do- like an FBI agent."

"Sure. He was with Clark. They didn't kill him, but they led him upstairs with two guards. That's why there's only four here now."

Reid breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, I'm going to get you all out of here. I promise no one else is going to die. I've got two agents coming in the back door at exactly eleven fifteen. Can you pass that around and have people start sneaking towards that back door?"

"Yes of course. But what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to distract them…."

*****

"Hotch!" JJ called. They were all gathered around the screens now.

"Did you hear? Reid sent us a sign. Eleven fifteen is in thirty minutes. We have to send a team out there to intercept them. The hostages are going to be there."

"Detective have your men positioned at that door at eleven straight up. We go in at eleven ten to get the hostages. At eleven fifteen we take down the unsub and his cronies. Got it?"

"Yes. Everyone is stationed and ready to go." The detective replied, walking away to get everything in order.

"Hotch did you hear Reid?" Emily asked. "He said he was going to distract them."

"Damn it that kid is going to get himself killed!" Morgan was flying off the handle.

"Everyone relax." Rossi stood up. "Reid knows what he's doing. We're going to get him out of there safe and sound. We will get him home."

*****

Eleven.

William and the others that had been quarantined quietly spread the word of the impending rescue. Luckily, they were in an office made up of security workers with incredibly cool heads.

Eleven oh five.

People begun to edge towards the back door.

Eleven ten.

Reid knew this drill. The FBI wrote this book. Five minutes early. Always. He turned to William and held out his hand. "It's been a pleasure William. I hope to see you again. Remember the moment no one is in sight, get everyone to the back door. Explain the situation to the agents there." The guard took his hand, his face grim, and nodded.

Reid, without warning, jumped up and yelled "Hey bitches!" He ran towards the stairs William pointed him to. All four of the minions followed him. Fallon was nowhere in sight.

Reid ran up the stairs to the next floor and blockaded the door behind him with a cubicle desk. The four cronies slammed into the heavy steel door and began shouting. Reid knew he'd have very little time. He had to find him.

He looked around the desolate floor are called, "Elijah!"

"Spence!" A haggard voice called back.

He ran towards the sound and soon turned a corner and found him handcuffed to a chair against the back wall.

"Elijah!" He ran to him, kneeling down and kissing him soundly on the lips, taking out some of his tension immediately. Elijah's lips did that.

"How did you get here? I saw you last night. Hell I saw you before work."

He looked tired, but unhurt, and said, "After you left I got a call from Steele. He said there was a situation down here and he needed me to investigate. I got here at six this morning and was ambushed just as I entered. I saw Clark on the floor. Spence they killed him! Oh gods, what am I going to tell his family?!?"

"Shhhh." Reid soothed, stroking the frantic man's short hair right behind his ear, just like he liked it. "I'm going to get you out of here."

"Spencer…."Elijah's voice took on that all knowing quality that Reid hated so much. He was so observant! He should've been a profiler.

"Why are _you _here?"

"I came with the team and traded myself for a few hostages. I distracted the guards so that my team could get everyone out. Wait a minute, El where are the two guards who were watching you?"

"They went down to the basement. Spence they've got this whole place rigged with military grade C-4. They're going to blow it to pieces. We've got to get out of here.

"Okay. Lets go."

Reid untied his haggard boyfriend and helped him to his feet. They walked to the door and listened. It was silent. That was unnerving. It meant something happened downstairs.

The two of them walked to the lobby to find the entire place deserted. It meant the hostages got out okay. That was a very good sign.

*****

"Hotch we got 'em." Morgan rounded the corner, followed by the rest of the rescue team and all the hostages. "Reid did it, man. All of them are completely safe and unharmed."

"Where is Reid?" Morgan looked around, "Hotch where is Reid. Why didn't you go get him?"

"Hotch!"

Both hurried to the computer screen. Reid was once again standing in the lobby. Accompanying him was a tall, quite handsome man that made JJ and Emily swoon and sigh, even with the pressing situation.

Morgan looked closer. "Sorry ladies, I think he's taken." Morgan pointed to Reid, who was holding onto the mystery man's waist in a way that was way too familiar to just have met him.

JJ and Emily looked disappointed, until they realized what Morgan was implying and both squealed with delight.

Rossi turned to Hotch and said, "Well, I guess he was harder to profile than we thought."

"Guys! Oh no." The tone in JJ's voice was painful.

They turned back to the screen.

*****

"Well well well. You disappoint me Dr. Reid. Letting all of those hostages go. Your death will be all the more painful now."

"You going to blow me up, Fallon?

"You going to blow me up, Fallon? Like this building and these people?"

"Yes. All the world will see how great I have become."

"You're living in a fantasy Fallon!" Reid shouted. "No one is going to care. Just wait until Morgan gets here. He's going to come in the way he came and you will lose a prize."

*****

"He's talking to us!" Emily said.

"Morgan. Go!" Rossi yelled. Morgan took off at an incredibly quiet sprint to the back door.

*****

"Dr. Reid, you will be a part of this plan! Rejoice, for it will be over soon."

"How soon Fallon?"

Fallon pulled out a strange device that looked like a cross between a remote control and a cell phone, but in fact was neither.

It was a detonator.

"Reid!" a quiet whisper floated to Reid's ears. He pretended to back away from Fallon in fear, dragging the ever- defiant Elijah with him. He backed up to the wall and deliberately placed Elijah closer to Morgan and placing his hand around the corner and out of sight so the agent could grab it.

"Reid!" Elijah whispered furiously as Morgan grabbed his hand, "What the hell do you think-"

Reid grabbed the back of his boyfriend's head and placed a soft kiss on the stunned man's lips. "I will always love you," he whispered.

"Morgan! Take him now! Take him and run!" Not waiting for a reply, Reid ran at the very confused Fallon. He tackled the man to the ground. They wrestled Reid took another blow to the stomach but he managed to grab one of Fallon's guns and point it as his head.

They froze there, both holding the life of the other in his hand. Two of Fallon's less brave cronies broke for the door and surrendered to the police. The other four remained with their guns of the young genius's face.

"Reid! Reid talk to me!" Morgan's voice rang out.

"Morgan, take him and run! Fallon has C-4 under the building and he has the detonator. Take him! Please!"

"We're not leaving without you!" this time it was Elijah who spoke. He turned to the agent who had dragged him away. "Please. Morgan, is it?" Morgan nodded. "Please, Morgan. I love him and I can't lose him. Please?"

The other man nodded. "Reid!" He called out to the other man, "I'm going to get some backup."

Reid turned back to Fallon. He smiled sadistically and said quietly. "I told you that you would see my show Dr. Reid. Boom."

"Morgan RUN!" Reid turned and sprinted after his lover and his best friend. They cleared the building and Reid breathed a sigh of relief. He turned and pointed his gun at Fallon, who was so wrapped up in his own maniacal laughter that he hadn't pushed the button yet.

"Boom!"

They stood maybe ten feet apart now. Reid leveled his gun and the man's head and pull the trigger swiftly just as he pushed the detonator. Fallon died instantly with a dime- shaped hole in his head. Reid, however, had just enough time to think _I think I'm going to die_ before his world exploded.

*****

Morgan and Elijah just cleared the building when they turned to see Reid shoot Fallon in the head.

Then the world shook to the core and exploded in a ball of fire. Morgan and Elijah were thrown back against the pavement.

*****

The team cam sprinting just as Morgan sat up, his ears ringing. He felt something sticky on his head, and when he moved his hand his fingers were covered in blood.

"Morgan!" Hotch descended on him while Emily and Rossi ran to Elijah.

They walked him over to the ambulance that had drove around the corner to meet them.

_Explosions… boom… Fallon… Reid… REID!!_

"Hotch! Reid is still in there! He's still- we have to find him. We have to go now." He struggled against Hotch and he turned to see the mystery man doing the same while being apprehended by Rossi.

"You need to go to the hospital. Now. With the other man. We will find him. We will." Morgan was forced into the ambulance next to the other man and, before anything could happen, it sped away.

*****

Hotch turned to the remaining member and said, "Split up. He was standing to the south to search there."

They went off in separate directions and all began searching through rubble and debris.

Hotch walked to the southern street. He made a three sixty turn to look for anything. That was when he spotted a hand. He sprinted over and found the rest of the connecting body. He prayed it was Reid.

It was.

Hotch knelt beside him.

"Oh god. ROSSI!" he called frantically. "Oh god Reid! This is all my fault. I'm so sorry!"

The young man was covered in blood and ash. He was unconscious, but Hotch found a weakened pulse. It was barely there, and Reid wasn't breathing. He had a nasty cut that followed the length of his left brow. Hotch was sure it would scar. It Reid ever woke up. If not well then, he didn't have to worry. _Don't think like that!_

The source of most of the blood was on the man's chest. Hotch carefully removed the red shirt and tie to assess the damage. Reid's white undershirt was soaked red. Across his abdomen was a series of deep laceration, and several pieces of steel debris clung to him like morbid, deathly art.

"Hotch?" a weak voice. He turned. Reid was looking up at him. "Hotch…. I'm… so sorry."

"No Reid, I'm the one who's sorry. This is my fault."

But the man shook his head.

"No…. no. Hotch." He coughed and blood bubbled to his lips. "Tell… tell El that… I love him…. Always…."

"No Reid, you can do it yourself. Come on buddy, stay with it. Stay with me!"

"You're a great boss." It was almost inaudible now. "I'm… honored…. To have worked for you. Tell… tell M-Morgan it's not his fault."

It was getting softer now, and he looked like he was barely hanging on. Hotch had tears dripping off his nose and onto the pavement.

"Tell everyone… I love them. Please. Tell- tell them they have to live… and that JJ has to send Henry to Cal tech…. I've… I've arranged it for him."

"I-I will buddy. I will." He was openly crying now.

Reid slowly shook his head.

"Don't be sad. Its okay. Its…. Okay…. Tell El. Tell him…."

"Reid? REID?"

Hotch looked desperately at the young man. Reid closed his eyes and lay still just as the ambulance arrived. He took one last breath, and lay still.

And Hotch, obliviously to the world around him, cried for his lost comrade and friend.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Not mine. If it was I'm pretty sure everyone would stop watching the show. My maniacal ideas would driver everyone crazy.

A/N: On with the show!

*****

"Sir! Please sit down! You have a laceration on your head and I need to patch it up."

"I'm fine!" Morgan protested. He sat on a gurney in the emergency room of St. Regis hospital in northern Atlanta. The annoyed, but very pretty nurse glared at him.

"Agent Morgan, if you don't sit down I will jam this needle where you really don't want it."

Morgan did not even hear her because of his erratic, distraught behavior. His comrade, Elijah Something, was currently sleeping next to him. He'd tried so hard to leave that it took two ER doctors and enough tranquilizers for a horse to sedate him. They'd let both men keep their clothes on, but the nurse threatened to stuff Morgan into a gown if he didn't sit down.

"Look, ma'am, with all due respect. I have an agent down in the field and I need to be out there looking for him. Please let me go."

She looked at his pleading face and finally relented. "Okay, let me finish the glue on your head and you can go."

However, just as she finished and Morgan stepped around the corner, a gurney came rushing in, accompanied by four medics. As it passed, Morgan's heart stopped.

It was Reid. And he didn't look good. Medics shouted things at each other over the racing of the gurney wheels and the commotion of the ER. The gurney was wheeled off to surgery and Morgan turned to find Hotch come trailing in, head down.

"Hotch!" Morgan called. His boss looked up, but his eyes glanced about and saw nothing as he clearly was caught in a memory.

Morgan hurried over to the man and sat him down in a waiting room chair. Hotch looked down at his hands, covered in blood. Reid's blood. It was everywhere.

"Hotch, What happened?"

"We found him. He wants you to know… to know that this is not your fault. He died!" Hotch looked wildly about, a gleam in his eye. "He died, Morgan. He had no pulse, he wasn't breathing. They had to shock him four times. He crashed twice on the way here. I don't know. I just don't know."

"Does everyone else know?"

"Yes, they're dealing with everything and then they're meeting us here."

"Hotch, did you see who I came in with? That man in the ambulance with me? He's a private security agent. He's a soldier, and now he's a paid bodyguard. He's a government paid guard dog."

"Are we so different? We're government paid employees who catch the bad guys."

"We don't kill them." 

"Tell that to Thomas Fallon. Morgan, I think you don't like him because you can't accept that Reid is a grown adult. He can't be your boy forever, Derek."

"I know." Morgan sighed. "Still, I can hope. Ha! I never would've guessed that Reid was…"

"Gay?"

"Exactly. But hey, who am I to judge. They're in love."

"I'm glad you think that. I don't think could ever forgive you if you treated him differently because of this. I guess you'll have to stop trying to set him up then."

"Eh. Never worked anyways."

"I would hope not." A voice from the doorway answered. Both agents looked up to see Elijah the PSA looking down at them with a smile on his face. "I would have to kill him for cheating on me."

Morgan froze.

"Relax Morgan, I heard the whole conversation, and I'm glad you've decided to take this so well. I wouldn't want to strain this team."

"Of course not." Hotch answered. "I'm Aaron Hotchner. Call me Hotch. I'm the head of the BAU in Quantico."

Elijah shook his hand. "Elijah Stone. I'm a PSA, though I'm sure you know that, and I'm stationed in Washington."

"Did you get any word?" Morgan asked.

Elijah's face strained, so he looked aged and gaunt. "No. They only told me he was in surgery. That's all."

They sighed. "I called Garcia," Morgan said, "She's on her way."

Hotch nodded, and the three lapsed into silence. It remained so until the doors opened to reveal the rest of the team, looking frantic, hurrying into the room.

"No word."

Rossi sighed. Emily slumped into a chair holding the hand of a barely- composed JJ. JJ looked on the verge of tears that she refused to let fall. Hotch was reminded of his own tears that afternoon and realized just how important Reid was to all of them.

Elijah was introduced to the group, and everyone took to his presence very well, immediately warming to him and treating him as one of their own.

Six o'clock came and went and with it was the arrival of the oddly subdued Garcia. There had still been no word, but the nurse said that that was good news in this case, because it meant he was hanging on.

Garcia spotted the every- sexy Elijah and her eyes took on a very Garcia- ish look. Morgan saw this and stopped her in her tracks.

"Oh no, baby girl. He's spoken for."

"Is that so sweetness? Okay, so who beat me to this perfect god in human form?"

"I'm afraid Reid did." Elijah spoke up now, smiling at Garcia.

Garcia paused, her plump lips forming a pink 'o'. Then she grinned ferally and raised her brows at JJ. JJ sighed and pilfered through her purse before reemerging with a hundred dollar bill clutched in her hand. She held it out to the still- grinning tech goddess, who snatched it with glee. She looked up to find Hotch, Morgan, and Elijah staring at her.

"Oh," she said smartly, "I bet Jayge a Benjamin that Reid was gay. Oh and actually I bet her another that he was at least…"

JJ put her hand over Garcia's mouth. "Not appropriate." She said.

Garcia nodded. But she looked expectantly at Elijah.

He glanced at her. "No!" he said, laughing. "No way! I will not disclose such classified information. Not happening."

"I'll give you half."

Elijah laughed. Hotch turned to JJ and said, "I forbid from hanging out in Garcia's office."

"That's good." She replied, "Because she's wiped me clean.

"Agents?"

The good mood was suddenly subdues, like snuffing out a candle. All eyes fell on the doctor standing in the doorway. He was covered in blood. There was no question as to whose it was.

"Doctor. How is he?"

"He'll live."

All the tension in the room left as the team let out a collective sigh.

"Don't get me wrong, though, he's got a long recovery ahead of him." The doctor said. "He suffered severe lacerations and internal bleeding. And three broken ribs. The cut above his eye was clean, and we opted for glue to minimize scarring. Though it probably will still be quite intimidating for the suspects. The lacerations on his stomach were worst, and will scar very badly. They cut all the way to his organ. His kidney was punctured and the broken ribs punctured his left lung as well. We repaired damage to the organs without incident. It's actually the cuts in his back that were worried about. He was cut along his right side and back and he nicked a nerve connected to his right leg. There's a good chance he'll walk with a limp permanently, but were hopeful. Expect to see a cane for a few months.

"We discovered that the cuts are from iron shrapnel that blew past him at incredible speeds. The heat of the metal pieces ripped through his skin like butter. Its lucky he's still alive. Your boy's a fighter."

"When can we see him?" Hotch asked.

"He's resting now, but your welcome to go see him. I doubt he'll even wake up before tomorrow evening."

"Thank you doctor."

*****

Everyone filed into Reid's room and ached at what they saw.

Reid, the young genius, was hooked up to all kinds of machines. He had tubes coming out of his nose, and an IV in his hand. He wore black pajama pants, and no top so as not to aggravate the wounds. His torso was heavily bandaged, and the pillows on his back obviously were meant to alleviate the pressure on his nerve.

"Oh Reid." Elijah sighed. He sat down on the chair next to his bed and grabbed the injured man's hand. Reid sighed and shifted ever so slightly, but then lay still.

The team watched from the doorway before quietly filing out to leave the young couple in peace.

*****

The next evening came and went, without any real change. The doctor said that this was normal, and they shouldn't worry.

By nine o'clock that night, Elijah was frantic. He nervously paced the room, looking over at Reid every few moments, only to sigh in frustration and continue his incessant walking. Emily leaned against the doorway and watched the man reach the wall, turn, and step to the next wall over and over and over again.

This continued for almost a half hour before a sigh alerted the both of them and they hurried to Reid's side.

Elijah sat on one side of the doctor, and Emily on the other. They held their breath as his eyes fluttered, and then opened fully. He coughed painfully, but returned to consciousness.

*****

Darkness.

There was nothing here, but for the young genius and his thoughts. He was at the dark bottom of a hole, where no pain existed al all.

It was lonely here, with nothing but the black abyss for company. This is what prompted Dr. Reid to begin his long trek to life once more.

Pain was the first thing he registered. And then the dull ache of his parched throat. He fluttered his eyes and opened them fully to find Elijah and Emily looking down upon him.

"Reid!" Elijah exclaimed. "Can you hear me love?"

Reid smiled tiredly and nodded before sleep once more claimed him.

TBC


End file.
